Rubio's surprise showing dominated the headlines in the Commonwealth, along with Donald Trump's seven-state win. Before Super Tuesday, Rubio polled at a February average of 22 percentage points. Trump held an average of 37 percent.

But with the final results in Richmond early this morning, Rubio ended up 10 points higher than predicted at 32 percent, Trump slightly lower at 35.

We did a little back-of-envelope math, and Rubio lost to the billionaire businessman by 28,984 votes. Bottom line, if Gov. John Kasich or Dr. Ben Carson were out of the race, Rubio would've won.

Picture that scenario - Rubio winning two states, and Cruz securing three victories after Super Tuesday.

Map Data via the Associated Press and New York Times

If Rubio won the Commonwealth, he may have been able to make the argument that Virginia boasts the country's most informed electorate.

And according to a brilliant piece by Jeff Shapiro of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Virginia resembles the national electorate more than any state that's voted so far.

But with any primary - you have to win the field you're given. It didn't happen for Rubio, and now his case to donors and Florida voters becomes difficult.

Senator Ted Cruz now has a more compelling case to become the anti-Trump candidate, with South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham saying the GOP establishment may have to rally behind Cruz.

Sen. Marco Rubio campaigning in Midlothian, Va. Feb. 28, 2016

Virginia awards its delegates proportionally, but the numbers still paint a picture of a Trump triumph.

The GOP front-runner leads the national delegate count with 319, Cruz 226, Rubio 110, Kasich 25 and Carson 8. The threshold needed to secure the Republican nomination is 1,237 delegates.